Local hirudin application--an aid in preventing occlusion of an arteriovenous fistula in dialysis patients?

In this pilot study we tested the effect of an ointment containing hirudin in a high concentration [20,000 ATU (anti-thrombin units)/100 g ointment] in ten patients on maintenance haemodialysis (six men, four women: mean age: 51 years; mean duration of dialysis treatment: 20.4 months). The duration of hirudin application was 4.5 months, the observation period in the total group was 43 months. During the total dialysis period of 204 months - before hirudin application - in these ten patients a shunt thrombectomy was necessary 18 times because of shunt occlusion. A shunt-thrombosis occurred in none of the ten patients during the period of application of the hirudin-containing ointment.